MORGAN HILL — Corey Latham joined the Gilroy Gators last November with big goals—and an even bigger workload.
He was barely recording ‘B’ times then, but Gators coach Martine Armstrong told him if he was willing to push himself she would help shape him into an elite swimmer. Now, after months of two-a-day practices, he’s a Far Western Championship medalist.
The 18-year-old took home the highest place of the four-day meet for the Gators, an eight place finish in the 17/18-year-old boys 1,000-meter freestyle at the Morgan Hill Aquatic Center. His 10:27.12 time was also good for a new Gators record. Latham had earned his first Junior Olympics time to compete in Bakersfield and it was there he makes the Far Western requirement.
“It was a pretty incrediable experience with him on Sunday,” Armstrong said. “(It was great) just seeing how proud he was of himself. He had a huge time drop because he had added in that event at JOs (Junior Olympics), so he was 20 seconds faster than what he had done just three weeks ago. It was incrediable to see him in a very tight race and really fight for his eighth place finish.”
While Latham was the lone Gilroy medalist, he wasn’t the only one making a splash. Halee Chavez, 12, qualified for 10 events but Far Western rules only allowed her to compete in seven. She was the only Gator who swam all four days and earned a new Pacific Reportable Time in the process in the girls 200m butterfly. Her PRT places her in the top 10 percent for her age group for that event — an impressive feat given there’s over 16,000 swimmers and 120 clubs in the Pacific Swimming Association.
Chavez was the only other Gator to earn a Top 16 finish, taking 13th in the 1,000m free in 11:24.25—a 13 second drop. She also set a new team record in that event and secured her Junior Olympic time until she’s 18. Chavez also set new team records in the 500m free, 100m fly and 200m fly and competed in the 100 and 200m frees.
“It was just a lot of work to get to this point. I sat and reflected with her at the end of her meet to tell her how proud I was of her. I said ‘You know, this time last year you were just going to Junior Olympics in one event’,” Armstrong said. “Just seeing the maturity (was great)—I think she was a little intimidated that first day. By that last race, just seeing her stand there feeling like she actually belonged.”
Emily Tupper, 10, also earned a new PRT in the 9/10-year-old girls 100m fly. She finished 25th in a time of 1:13.36. She also raced the 500m free and took 36th at 6:19.29.
Brianna Mertz, 12, swam three events with her best finish coming in the 50-m breast where she took 33rd in 34.15. She was 45th in the 50m fly (29.35) and 46th in the 100m individual medley (1:06.81).
Cassidy Foster and Payton Reeder—both 10-year-old swimmers—rounded out the weekend taking 37th in 500-m free (6:21.34) and 54th in the 100m fly (1:18.54), respectively.
“I think the theme of the weekend, which was kind of surprising to me, was just how many random coaches and parents and people came up to not only me, but the swimmers (and) our E-Z UP (tent) telling us how impressed they were with the Gators,” Armstrong said. “This team has not had swimmers represented at this meet for years. …I know we didn’t necessarily blow the doors open with points or anything like that, but we were extremely proud to have the six.”
Armstrong said the future looks bright for the Gators with three 10U swimmers qualifying for this meet and 13 competing later at the 10 and Under Championships April 26th at Hartnell Community College in Salinas.
“If they’re already doing that at that age, I’m going to have some seniors who will really being blowing the doors open in two or three years,” she said.
